


An Outward Symbol

by christyimnotred, tiger_in_the_flightdeck



Category: The Eagle | The Eagle of the Ninth (2011), The Eagle | The Eagle of the Ninth - All Media Types
Genre: Established Relationship, Happy Gay Farmers, M/M, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-29
Updated: 2014-05-29
Packaged: 2018-01-27 00:06:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1707560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/christyimnotred/pseuds/christyimnotred, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiger_in_the_flightdeck/pseuds/tiger_in_the_flightdeck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Esca, I would have you mark me in a place I can see," Marcus blushed slightly at his next words, "in a place I can touch."</p><p>***Illustrated with Playmobil scenes</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Outward Symbol

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted as a tag-team drabble on Tumblr with Tiger-in-the-flightdeck. I added the Playmobil scenes to illustrate it. I wrote the parts told from Marcus' POV, Tiger wrote the Esca POV part.

Marcus was happy. The feeling still surprised him most days. He had restored his family's honor, had bought a farm in Spain, and most importantly had Esca by his side. They already had a few horses and hoped to sell enough crops to get a stud at the end of this season. The gods willing, in a year they would be able to sustain the farm on just the horses.

Things had been awkward between them when they first returned from retrieving the Eagle. They both wanted, but neither were willing to make the first move. They lived in a small, one room cottage tip-toeing around what should have been so obvious.   Esca, ever the brave one, finally broke the stalemate.   Marcus would forever be grateful for and in awe of Esca's courage.  

They'd been really together for about six month and Marcus couldn't believe how lucky he was to get to spend his days working the farm with the man he loved and his nights showing his love to that man. But Marcus wanted more. He knew he couldn't marry Esca, but he longed for a way to show the world what Esca meant to him. To show his Briton how important he was.

One evening after dinner, Marcus took Esca to the hill overlooking their farm. He took his partner's hands in his, looked him in the eye, and swore his life to him. He promised to love him, protect him, and always listen to him. To seal his vow, he removed his father's ring from his finger and slid it onto Esca's. This ring had long represented his oath to his father and to Rome, but now he had something new to dedicate himself to. When Marcus saw the green against Esca's tan skin his heart felt full in a way it never had before.    

************************************

Over and over during the following months, Esca would stop his tasks and gaze down at the emerald. He would caress over the gem, feeling the etching of the dolphin with his callused thumb. It would give him pause for a moment, leaving him grinning and whistling.

"I want to give something to you, my Marcus." he murmured late one night as they watched the fire in the pit pop and spit embers in the air. The golden flecks of light danced towards the thatch roof, but winked out before they reached it. "Something to mark you as mine."

His Roman had his arms tight around him, fingers splayed over his back. “You’ve already given me yourself.”

Esca arched a delicate honey gold brow and reached around, bringing his palm down in a hard smack on one of Marcus’ broad buttocks. “You’ve done more giving than I have.” Even in the darkness, he could see Marcus turn red under his tan.

It took a few days for him to gather the supplies, and another for Marcus to drink enough beer to leave him relaxed. They were in the sun in front of their little hut. Marcus was stretched on his belly with Esca perched on his rump. With the tip of his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth, Esca worked with the needle and ink, creating the design.

He refused to let Marcus see it until it was healed, and only then did he bring his Roman down to the bath house. Esca stood Marcus in front of a large polished mirror after their bath and massage. Trailing his fingertips over the design, he turned Marcus so he could look over his shoulder to see it. It spanned his upper back from shoulder to shoulder, and wandered down his spine. The outer edges were strict geometric patterns. Perfectly Roman. The closer the design got to the centre, the more wild it became. The lines wavered. The looped and whorled, and twined around themselves. Rather than clashing, it was the perfect blend of Briton and Roman.

******************************************

Marcus loved being marked by Esca. He loved knowing that if he wanted, he could show the whole world that he had been claimed. That he belonged to someone. Of course, no one else would know what it meant, but he did. However, in his heart of hearts, in that secret place he didn't like to admit to, Marcus was jealous of Esca. Jealous that Esca could look at and touch his reminder whenever he wanted. Even when they were apart, Esca knew he was loved.

Marcus wanted that, wanted that reminder that he could see and touch. He knew it was a weakness and that a good Roman would not need such things. Of course, a good Roman would not be living in Spain with his Briton lover. Marcus had given up on being a good Roman if the price was Esca. But society's training ran deep and Marcus couldn't always shake the shame. Something so deeply embedded was hard to dislodge.

Marcus thought for many days about talking to Esca about his weakness, but he was loath to admit to it. Esca knew something was bothering Marcus, he could always tell. He also knew that sooner or later the Roman would come to him with it, he always did. The moment came one night after dinner. Marcus was lying on his stomach in front of the fire while Esca traced the outline of the tattoos on his back. He loved when Esca did this, it made him feel safe and cherished. This gave him the courage to speak.

"Esca, I would have you mark me in a place I can see," Marcus blushed slightly at his next words, "in a place I can touch." Esca loved that after everything they had done together that Marcus could still get bashful around him. It contrasted so completely with his size and the soldier within, making it utterly charming.  

Esca placed a kiss on Marcus's back and replied, "I would mark you wherever you wished, my love."

 

 

 


End file.
